Letters to the editor for Thursday, March 28, 2013

Published: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 5:27 p.m.

I'm responding to the March 7 article by Julie Murphy, "Limited Editions: Flagler public library funding among lowest in state."

A more descriptive headline would be: "Holly Albanese works miracles in Flagler County" and "Provides competitive services at far less cost than other county libraries."

As a resident of Flagler County since 2004, I have enjoyed the library services, and seen a consistent level of excellent service. What do these other libraries provide for their patrons, at increased costs of up to 400 percent, that are not provided by Holly Albanese's organization? I question the article's insinuation that by simply increasing the budget there would be a dramatic increase in the quality of service.

Flagler County library provides service to more that twice the number of patrons per staff member — and provides the second-highest number of hours of operation — when compared to the other three libraries in the article. What additional services do the patrons of Volusia County get by spending more than four times the amount per capita?

What services does the Flagler County Library need to either improve or add to its program? This, and the estimated cost per capita, were not covered in the article. Instead of decrying the low budget, there should be a strong recommendation to have other libraries study the Flagler model, or put Holly Albanese in charge of all library operations. Other systems have a lot to learn about how to spend the taxpayers' money as wisely.

The roof should not leak, and Palm Coast needs to address the capital costs of expansion when growth warrants. The first increase in budget, however, should be directed to a substantial salary increase for the architect of this economic miracle.

Flagler County officials should be proud of their library director.

WILLIAM J. PITTS

Palm Coast

A small shift for safety

My wife and I have been coming to Ormond Beach for 30 years.

We attended the opening of Andy Romano Beachfront Park with great pride.

As a next-door neighbor to the park through February and March, we have noticed the beach hazard created by drivers when they approach the no-vehicle area in front of the new park. Most drivers either back up or attempt a U-turn, putting beach users at an increased risk.

I would highly recommend that all northbound traffic be diverted from the beach at Harvard Drive. This would create a larger safe area for everyone on the beach, especially children.

This beautiful area would greatly benefit from a beach without the worry of traffic. Nobody goes to the beach to get hurt — or worse.

JIM WHITE

Binbrook, Ontario

Looking for solutions

The "Florida Voices" article by U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis was profoundly disappointing. He spends more than 800 words bashing the Affordable Care Act and President Obama. He refers to the law as "Obamacare," although it is actually the creation of Congress. He concludes the article with a one-sentence observation: "We need patient-centered health reform that promotes competition, lower costs and quality outcomes."

I believe DeSantis has also expressed concern about the U.S. budget deficit — largely caused by grossly inefficient health care (and a bloated military budget). It is a shame that he could not express his criticism in one sentence, and use 800 words to describe his own thoughts on designing an effective and efficient health care system for all Americans. It is easy to criticize. He has avoided the hard work of improving our system.

JIM CAIN

DeLand

This is no utopia

When I read some readers' opinions on guns — it's almost like they really believe it is legal to shoot and kill people in America today. What are people thinking? Criminals don't care about your stupid laws. They only care about not meeting a lot of resistance when they commit their crimes. Gun control will create a boon for simple criminals and mass murderers alike. Mass murderers won't need to search out gun-free places, like schools or movie theaters, to safely commit their crimes. Simple criminals will have a lot better hunting with a disarmed population or a population afraid to carry permitted guns in public.

Most Americans today are thinking emotionally, without giving any thought to the unintended consequences. We all want a perfect world, but that is just not human nature. I wish America was a free utopian society where guns would never be needed to protect ourselves, but I don't believe that will happen in any of our lifetimes.

KEITH WILSON

DeLand

Bank raids closer to home

Americans find it unbelievable that the government of Cyprus, in conjunction with the European Union, will confiscate as much as 40 percent from some Cypriot bank accounts. That could never happen in America, right? Surprise: It's happening now! Every time the Federal Reserve prints a dollar it diminishes the value of all deposits here. The Fed has been printing billions. It's like adding water to soup. Sooner or later, instead of soup, you end up with colored water.

Is the price of gas going up, or is the value of the dollar going down? The correct answer is both. Your government has found a way to confiscate part of your bank deposits; they are just stealthier than the European Union.

HARRY HEILMAN

Ormond Beach

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